Antique Japanese Kogai Hair Ornament – Autumn Maple and Floral Makie with Raden Inlay – 8¼"

Antique Japanese Kogai Hair Ornament – Autumn Maple and Floral Makie with Raden Inlay – 8¼"

Description

An exquisite late Meiji period kogai (笄) hair ornament crafted in black lacquer and decorated with makie (蒔絵) and raden (螺鈿, shell inlay). The ends display a refined autumn motif of momiji (紅葉, maple leaves) and seasonal blossoms rendered in gold and colored lacquer, accented with iridescent shell pieces that shimmer in green and violet hues. The maple leaf, a classic emblem of autumn beauty, symbolizes the transience of nature and the graceful passage of time—an elegant sentiment in Japanese decorative arts.

This form, tapered and balanced, follows the Edo-style tradition of symmetrical paired kogai, meant to slide through elaborate nihongami hairstyles. The interior join conceals a slender bamboo tang, characteristic of high-quality examples that combine lightness, flexibility, and natural finish.

A graceful expression of late 19th-century craftsmanship, uniting lacquer artistry, shell inlay, and symbolic design in a single refined personal accessory.

PLEASE NOTE CONDITION IN PHOTOS

Dimensions: approx. 8¼" (21 cm) long
Materials: Black lacquered wood, makie, raden inlay, bamboo tang
Period: Late Meiji era (c.1890s)

kogai, Japanese hair ornament, kanzashi, makie, raden, momiji, maple, autumn motif, Meiji, lacquer, nihongami, bijin, Japanese antique accessory